News : DU Dance

Celebrating 10 years!

4th March 2021

2021 marks the tenth year of DU Dance NI Youth Engagement project- Sutemos based in Dungannon.

We met virtually with members old and new to mark the achievement.

It has been a fantastic 10 years and we look forward to 10 more. Check out our recap of some of our favourites moments.

DU Dance Challenge 16

25th February 2021

This week we are in Wales with Rachel from National Youth Arts, Wales who has set us this week’s #DUDanceChallenge

Want to give it a go, then check out the step-by-step guide below.

Don’t forget to share your moves on social media with the hashtag #DUDanceChallenge.

Find us on social media:

Facebook: dudanceni Twitter: @DUDanceni Instagram: du.dance.ni TikTok: dudanceni

Step-by-step guide Week 16

DU Dance Challenge 15

18th February 2021

This week our #DUDanceChallenge has been set by Tori from One Dance UK with an upbeat disco challenge just for you.

Want to give it a go, then check out the step-by-step guide below.

Don’t forget to share your moves on social media with the hashtag #DUDanceChallenge.

Find us on social media:

Facebook: dudanceni Twitter: @DUDanceni Instagram: du.dance.ni TikTok: dudanceni

Step-by-step Guide Week 15

DU Dance Challenge 14

12th February 2021

We are travelling to warmer climates this week for our #DUDanceChallenge, all the way to South Africa with a challenge set by Mira.

Want to give it a go, then check out the step-by-step guide below.

Don’t forget to share your moves on social media with the hashtag #DUDanceChallenge.

Find us on social media:

Facebook: dudanceni Twitter: @DUDanceni Instagram: du.dance.ni TikTok: dudanceni

Step-by-step Guide Week 14

“Through Our Eyes” premieres at Belfast Children’s Festival 2021

11th February 2021

We are delighted to present Through Our Eyes, the result of a three-year project with groups of young carers across Northern Ireland, in partnership with Barnardo’s NI as part of Young At Art’s 2021 Belfast Children’s Festival. This series of five short films, shot at stunning locations, recognise and give voice and emotional expression to young carers, raising awareness of some of the issues they face

The film will premiere online via QFT Player on Friday 5th March at 6.30pm and run on demand throughout the festival. For more information https://www.youngatart.co.uk/whats-on/through-our-eyes

U.Dance 2021 -open for applications

8th February 2021

U. DANCE 2021 applications OPEN NOW for the national youth dance festival which will take place online 16-18 July 2021.

U.Dance is the national programme of events offering high quality dance opportunities to young people. Each year, our nation’s young dancers can experience the thrill of creating, learning and performing dance.

DU Dance (NI) as a regional partner organisation are inviting applications from across the island of Ireland with a submission deadline of 31st March 2021. Film a creative dance piece observing the current restrictions, or send in a recording of a piece created in the last 12 months.

How do I apply?

To be eligible for a place at U.Dance 2021 groups will need to:

Include dancers aged 11 to 19 years on 31 July 2021 (disabled dancers aged up to and including 25 can apply)
Work within Covid-19 guidance that is appropriate for your setting
Be based in the UK/ Ireland and involve dancers who live in the UK / Ireland
Submit a dance piece, on film, of 2 to 7 minutes in duration, to your Regional Platform organizer – DU Dance (NI) via email info@dudanceni.com

Not sure of what to enter? Some examples of acceptable entries include:

A dance film featuring dancers recording sections remotely and edited together

A piece created and filmed pre-lockdown in a studio or theatre which has not been widely showcased
A solo entry

We welcome entries filmed on mobile phone, tablet, or professional equipment. See below for some helpful webinars which may assist your entry.

One Dance UK and all U.Dance Regional Partners are committed to helping you and your young dancers make the most of U.Dance during this difficult period. We want applications to best reflect the commitment and creativity of your work. It can be daunting creating, recording and editing a piece for film, and we want groups from a variety of settings to take part:

School groups
Youth dance companies
Private dance schools
Individuals

All are welcome, and you may find working towards a performance opportunity like U.Dance will provide a welcome sense of achievement for your dancers.

To support groups with their digital applications, we encourage you to watch the below Upskilling Webinars with dance film experts free of charge. These were filmed in December 2020 with a particular focus on dance for children and young people:

Filming Dance for Stage with Craig Bush (previously worked with Birmingham Royal Ballet, New Adventures and Rambert School)
Filming Dance for Screen with Jo Cork (The Place, Studio Wayne McGregor, ZooNation: The Kate Prince Company)

Challenge

5th February 2021

DU Dance Challenge 24

Step-by-step guide to Sean from Northern Ireland’s #dudancechallenge.

Remember to share your moves with the hashtag #dudancechallenge.